The Old Course

6,566 yards
Par 72

Renowned worldwide as the "Home of Golf", the
Old Course is one of the oldest golf courses in the world having been
in use since approximately 1400AD. The Old Course has played host to many
of the golf's greatest players and most dramatic moments.

The Old Course originally consisted of 22 holes (11 out
& 11 in), with golfers playing to the same hole in both directions.
In 1764, the society of St Andrews Golfers (which later became the Royal
and Ancient Golf Club) decided that the first four holes were too
short and combined them to form two holes. This reduced the course to
18 holes and created what has become the standard for golf courses throughout
the world.

The Old Course has many famous features, these include
the Swilken Bridge over the burn which crosses the 1st and 18th fairways,
and the 112 bunkers, including "Strath" on the 11th, "Hell"
on the 14th and the "Road Bunker" on the infamous 17th or Road
Hole.

One of the unique features of the Old Course
is the huge double greens - where seven greens are shared by two holes
each. Only the 1st, 9th, 17th and 18th holes have their own greens. These
double greens are understandably very large, with 200 feet putts quite
possible.

Another strange feature is that the course
can be played in either direction, clockwise or anti-clockwise. Today,
the direction of play is anti-clockwise, although clockwise play in occasionally
permitted. Originally, the course was reversed every week in order to
let the grass recover.

The course is closed for play every Sunday,
when the land can be used as common parkland, for walks, picnics etc.